Who went straight for ADN?

[cerda394]

Who went straight into an RN program with no experience? Is this dangerous to do? I am finishing up my prereqs, but I have no medical experience at all. Is this bad? I am not doing an LVN program because I want to become a nurse sooner.

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

A lot of people go straight to RN. While nursing school is fast paced, they slowly bring you up to entry-level RN in such a way that you gain experience working with patients as you go along. Having some medical experience does help, but the majority of my non-LVN to RN career mobility classmates have never had any sort of serious exposure to the medical/healthcare field prior to getting into nursing. They may have done some volunteer work and things like that, but they really never had any direct patient contact prior to nursing school. Guess what, they're all doing generally very well!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

The vast majority of nurses in the United States pursued the RN license without ever having worked as LVNs or CNAs. Some went straight into ADN programs and others pursued the BSN degree.

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

Second career in my 40s involved going to school for my ADN part-time while still working my office job.

Biggest downside was getting a job after I graduated....people who had been CNAs (or who had gotten their LPN halfway through the program and were working in LTC for the rest of the program) had an easier time getting hired because they had "healthcare experience" on their resume.

If I had it to do over again, I would have worked as a PCA after my first semester, just to get my foot in the door.

[RNperdiem, RN]

The typical student in my ADN program was a recent 4 year college grad with a degree and no marketable job skills. Most of us had no medical experience, and some of us had worked as CNAs or EMTs before and during school.

School and your first few years working will teach you what you need to know.

[BSNbeauty, BSN, RN]

I became a nurse really soon by getting my LPN first. I made good money while in RN school. Do what is best for you. By the way: LPN are nurses.

[ArtClassRN, ADN, RN]

Experience helps. A lot. Yes you can do it without experience and no, it isn't dangerous.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I went right for the ADN. To be honest, I didn't know LPNs existed until after I started nursing school.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

If I had it to do over again, I would have worked as a PCA after my first semester, just to get my foot in the door.

You and me both. I actually had a CI offer to get me a job as a CNA but I turned it down. Hindsight, 20/20.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

No medical experience whatsoever. 2nd career choice. No problem getting a job as a registered nurse. I think what Commuter mentioned is true - most folks do not have medical experience.

Good luck!